National essay competition for undergraduate law students with a ₹25,000 prize and publication opportunity.
About National Law School of India Review
National Law School of India Review (NLSIR) is the flagship student-edited law journal of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru. It is a leading academic publication that promotes high-quality legal scholarship through articles, essays, and critical legal writing.
The Chief Justice E.S. Venkataramiah Memorial Best Essay Prize has been instituted by NLSIR with the support of the family of late Justice E.S. Venkataramiah as an annual national essay competition.
About the Opportunity
The National Law School of India Review has invited submissions for the inaugural edition of the Chief Justice E.S. Venkataramiah Memorial Best Essay Prize. The competition is open to undergraduate law students across India and seeks original scholarly essays on a constitutional law theme.
The theme for the inaugural edition is: “Does the Constitution Choose an Economic Model? Directive Principles and the Question of Ideological Neutrality.”
The winning essay will receive a cash prize, a citation plaque, and publication in the National Law School of India Review.
Remuneration
The winner will receive a cash prize of ₹25,000 along with a Citation Plaque.
Deadline
The last date for submission is 10 October 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
- Undergraduate law students enrolled in either a three-year or five-year law programme.
- Students must be studying at a law school recognised by the Bar Council of India.
- Essays must be single-authored, original, unpublished, and written in English.
- The essay must comply with the prescribed submission and formatting requirements.
- No prior registration or registration fee is required.
Roles & Responsibilities
Legal Research
- Conduct original research on the constitutional law theme announced for the competition.
- Develop a well-reasoned and analytically rigorous argument supported by relevant legal authorities.
Drafting
- Prepare a single-authored essay of 8,000–10,000 words, inclusive of footnotes.
- Ensure the submission satisfies the prescribed formatting and submission requirements.
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Application Procedure
Interested candidates may apply through the following:
- Submit an original, unpublished, single-authored essay in English.
- Word Limit: 8,000–10,000 words (inclusive of footnotes).
- Deadline: 10 October 2026.
